Help For Making Difficult Decisions

As Christians, we want to ensure that any major decision in our lives is in accordance with God’s will. While we can never be absolutely certain that this is the case, there are steps that will help to improve our chances. On the April 8th, 2011 edition of Following The Truth, I discussed some great steps as outlined in the book Help For Making Difficult Decisions by Fr. Eamon Tobin (1987, Ligouri Publications). Although I believe the book is out of print, used copies can be found on the Internet.

In summary, when faced with a major decision, the book urges us to use the following steps:

1. Formulate a Proposition – Define the decision you are trying to make.

2. Gather the Relevant Data and Input – Make a list of pros and cons.

3. Bring The Gathered Data to Prayer – Pray about the various alternatives.

4. Make a Decision – Make your decision, but DON’T act on it yet.

5. Live With the Decision – Continue to meditate and pray about the decision that you have made. If it’s in accordance with God’s will, you should begin to think of additional reasons to support your choice. If not, your decision may not be correct.

6. Act On the Decision – This is the difficult part…Act on your decision.

7. Confirm the Decision – Does “living the decision” bring you peace? If not, it may be necessary to backtrack if possible.

While there is no guarantee that following these steps will ensure you make the correct decision, your chances are MUCH better than if you didn’t use them!